Munich Security Conference side event: “conversation on European autonomy in space”

ESPI is jointly co-organising a side event to the Munich Security Conference 2026 (MSC 2026) with jointly with Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) and ArianeGroup. The event, named “conversation on European autonomy in space”, will be held on on 14 February  2026 15:30 – 16:15 at Bar Montez at Rosewood Hotel. Please note this is only open for registered MSC 2026 attendees.

In a panel session, moderated by Juliana Süß (SWP), ESPI Director, H. Ludwig Moeller, will discuss with Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, and Vincent Perry, Head of Defence Programme (ArianeGroup), how Europe can scale up as a space power and which obstacles need to be overcome.

The session will explore which tools the European industry needs, will question whether the current institutional structures of member states, ESA and the EU, NATO and international institutions are still fit for purpose, and will evaluate Europe’s current strengths and shortcomings with the goal to sketch a path forward.

• Which challenges are faced by industry in an effort to scale up?
• What obstacles await the European military in terms of commercial integration?
• Are the current structures of ESA, EU, NATO sufficient to lead this process or do we require new approaches?

For more information about ESPI’s participation in the conference or the side event please contact ESPI Research Fellow and Relations Officer for Germany & Austria, seconded by DLR, Lina Pohl (lina.pohl@espi.eu).